Bar Libre

Certified World's Best Bar

Tokyo-Ikebukuro

Chill Out

Whisky

Cigares

2 / 52 / 5

Apr 20, 2020

Smoking gun and liquid nitrogen: at this authentic bar in Tokyo, cocktail-making is an experimental affair.

Bar Libre is a quiet and relaxed Ikebukuro cocktail bar that combines seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients with modern bartending techniques to craft seriously high standard cocktails. Its creative and avant-garde approach has granted it a solid reputation that’s starting to cross borders: the bar just recently opened a sister location, Bar Libre Da Nang,in Vietnam.

Hidden down in a cellar, the intimate and cozy lounge is sparsely decorated – at Libre, the magic happens behind the bar. Soft jazz music plays in the background as the bartenders handle complicated-looking machines. With expert skill, high quality ingredients are transformed and combined to create delicious and unusual cocktails.

Fresh fruit cocktails are instantly frozen at -196 ℃ with liquid nitrogen, dispensing with the need for ice and thus preserving the full taste of the fruits. Charged with wood chips selected according to the spirit, a smoking gun enriches libations with complex smoky notes. Commonly known for its relaxing properties, an aroma diffuser is used here to infuses rinks with delicate fragrances such as rose, lavender or pomegranate. Finally, one to two months barrel-aged cocktails are made using oak barrels imported from the U.S., resulting in well-rounded drinks with a rich wood scent and mellow taste.

A top mixologist in Tokyo, owner Yujiro Kiyosaki will be happy to find your perfect cocktail match and guide you through the experience. We loved the fruity and smooth Red Circle, with 12 year-old Red Breast, Lillet Blanc, acerola juice, egg white, lemon juice and Angostura bitters. The bar also offers a compelling whisky selection – over 300 single malt references – as well as more than 10 types of Cuban cigars. The best time to come is for an after dinner drink, but if you’re craving a snack there is also a solid selection of bar food on offer. Feeling adventurous? The basashi, which is fresh horse meat sashimi, is a surprising and unique Japanese delicacy that’s definitely worth a try.